Jus in Bello (Chapter 4)

A cold wave of realization rushed over him as it dawned on him. It made sense to him. All the years of Robert being caring, forgiving, accepting… then for him to suddenly turn uncaring, power-hungry and relentless. Dewi had always thought it had to be a side effect of having been alive for so long. Immortals become jaded as time goes by and Dewi thought that this was the case. But it wasn’t. Robert was badly hurt after the Turkish-Russian war and was in pain for those next two decades, then one morning it stopped. It had only been two weeks since he had acquired the position of head Order member. Robert had literally made a miracle overnight recovery. And then, after that recovery, everything went wrong. One by one the Order members disappeared. Some were killed, a few became sick and others just left. In time only four members were left: Celestine, Robert and Dewi. At that time Nereza was only his apprentice.1

“Robert…. You gave up your soul?” Dewi asked in disbelief as he dropped his head down. “I just reclaimed my body. There’s nothing wrong with that” Robert insisted and looked to the centaurs and werewolves behind him. They all nodded in agreement as well. The vampire looked up, “Then, you killed Celestine…” he choked out. Dewi never did like Celestine, since Celestine always found something about him to tease, laugh at or condescend. But both knew that they could depend on each other and more than once had saved each other’s lives. It made him sick to think that the man he followed so loyally had just killed one of his comrades. “Nereza!!” Dewi yelled abruptly. Seemingly out of nowhere she appeared. “Master?” she answered as she started running to the pair of them. Dewi’s eyes turned blood red. He manoeuvred his arms in their restraints and started to twist against the holds. “Yes, Master” Nereza answered to the unspoken request all cheerily and stopped in front of Alex.2

Slowly, Dewi started to peel away from the spell that kept him suspended and he finished in a heap on the floor. He panted heavily from the effort it took to break the spell. It was strange to see Dewi out of breath and sweating. It probably took most of his energy just to hold himself back from attacking “Robert”. “Hold still, teacher’s pet” Nereza sneered and jumped up into the air. She then grabbed Alex’s wrists with each hand and pulled. It didn’t take long before the demon had pried Alex from the spell herself. “Get her out of here” Dewi said softly as he stood up. Yep, he was angry.3

“He totally digs her” the one werewolf said with a toothy grin on its face. “Cut it out, Emma. He’s going to kick your ass if you carry on” the werewolf next to ‘Emma’ warned. “He can kiss my ass for all I care,” Emma snapped and anxiously padded in place. “Stop that, you’re giving me the heebie jeebies… and it looks like you need to go to the bathroom” the centaur said and canted.4

With Robert being part of the undead, the only explanation left was that a Necromancer must’ve taken control of his soul and its control over Robert had remained. The likelihood that the Necromancer was still alive was slim since nearly all opposition was slain during the Final battle. The only problem was, Necromancer’s spells do not wear off, since it isn’t even a spell to begin with. The soul of a person recently deceased is placed back into their body, but only by giving the summoned –or in this case the Necromancer- control of their soul. The choice had to be off the person’s own free will. But that choice came with interest. Along with being alive again, the price was that the person had to obey the Necromancer’s wishes. Apparently that price wasn’t too large for the former “Robert”.5

Nereza held unto Alex’s wrists and transported them both to the far end of the room. “Dewi!!” Alex called desperately and started to pull away from Nereza. The apprentice merely held on tightly, “Master has limited concentration without you around” Nereza explained and held up her one fingertip. The tiniest smirk that appeared on her lips didn’t escape Alex’s notice. In an instant Nereza’s entire finger seemed to turn to charcoal, which she then used to draw a black circle around them. She added in an extension of a line every few feet–as if to represent each direction of East, South, West and North. At the end of those lines she drew another circle with a spiral formation inside. When she was finished she stepped back into the main circle and shook her hand. Her finger had returned back to normal. “What is this?” Alex asked as she looked around.6

Nereza flicked her black curly hair behind her shoulder with her hand, “Dewi has more brains than he could care to use, but he does use it sometimes. Don’t cross this line, little toy” she said, “Or you’ll die”. Alex shot a sceptic look towards the demonic apprentice, “As if” she challenged. “The Demon’s circle protects its contents” Nereza said and folded her arms across her chest. She had a dark green doll dress on that came only to the top of her thighs. She had a pair of strappy heels on with silver sequins embroiled on them. Her hair was tied into a tight bun behind her head.7

Meanwhile, the light dimmed inside the room. It was as if somebody had literally thrown a cloth over the sun, blocking out all the light. The room was almost pitch-black. “Robert, why did you allow them to control you like this!?” Dewi demanded, the hurt he was in showed in his voice. He had been very close to Robert. This felt like his heart was on fire and trying to claw itself out of his throat. “Answer me!!” he yelled. The dark mist rose around him as he drew back his fist. A flame appeared around his hand and started to swirl around it as if it were alive. “Boss told me not to answer to those questions.” Robert answered almost automatically.8

A deep snarl left Dewi’s throat and filled the deathly silent room, “You asshole! You’re keeping him alive for your sake only!! He never would’ve have willingly agreed to this!!” he screamed and swung his arm across his body. The flame that had surrounded Dewi’s hand erupted into a slash of fire that filled the area surrounding him. The blue flame engulfed the air and seemed to suck the oxygen out of the room. Alex could feel the force of the blast from where she was standing and could feel the heat of the flame. Who knew he had this much strength?9

He was definitely holding back then all the time when they were training.. he was also holding back in the main battle, probably to protect his own comrades from his own power, since they were all in the same battlefield. No wonder he had asked her to leave. But now that it was only himself, “Robert” and Robert’s lackeys present, it wasn’t a problem. Those centaurs and werewolves could probably not be called “Robert’s lackeys” though… maybe something more like his henchmen or bodyguards…. They had all lined up next to Robert by now and were all growling and clawing into the ground in anticipation.10

“I’ll take you all on right now!!” Dewi yelled as he eagerly readied his fists. “Blake. If you will” Robert motioned towards his former friend. The centaur that had originally stamped on Dewi’s back was now walking closer. “I’m sure you will” Blake said with a haughty expression on his face. Dewi laughed and bounced on the balls of his feet like a boxer. The centaur charged him, full speed and lunged at him. Dewi stepped to the side, forcing Blake to be sent sliding across the marble floor. The young vampire waved his arm in the air as if slowly waving people aside. Seemingly nothing happened. Blake scrambled to a stop and charged again. His hooves’ sound filled the room with thundering clacks. It was only then when a mass of water accumulated out of seemingly nowhere. “You are of no interest of me” Dewi said and motioned towards them. The mass of water surrounded the other centaur, Gabriel and both werewolves: Emma and Nicholas.11

“Please, Dewi. Just listen to Robert. The boss he’s working for isn’t too bad” Nicholas said, although his lycan teeth muffled his voice. “Shut up, that bloody mosquito wouldn’t listen to you.” Emma said with a sneer. “Dewi has the right to choose whether he-” Gabriel started but Emma interrupted. “-oh, hell, Gabriel! PLEASE don’t give us the speech again! For fuck sake I’m sure even Alex knows it by now!!” Emma said and rolled her eyes.12

“Didn’t you hear him? ‘You are of no interest to me’,” she continued in a mock tone. Gabriel sighed in exasperation, “Please don’t patronize him, Emma” he snapped. Blake took up the task to ready himself for a leap. “Blake, don’t do that” Nicholas warned. No use. After Blake gave a lewd gesture with his one hand towards Nicholas, he made a very spectacular leap overhead and was aiming to tackle Dewi from above. Dewi looked up. Blake was instantly frozen in the air. The water surrounding Gabriel, Emma and Nicholas seemed to pull Blake towards them and soon all four were surrounded by it. “Aquae… Glacies” Dewi yelled as he waved his arm over the area where they now stood. The water turned into a tomb of ice, encasing all of them. Dewi looked at his former best friend. Robert. “Let’s get this over with. Shall we?” he tested.13

Nothing. Robert didn’t move. Robert didn’t speak. Absolutely nothing. The shell of the man just stood there. “Well?” Dewi urged impatiently. Robert’s grey eyes seemed vacant. Dewi sighed.14

The dark mist that surrounded him fell to the ground. The darkness that had veiled the sun was now gone. Sunlight refilled the room and casted its soft glow through the room. “Don’t move. Not until master tells us” Nereza quickly warned and grabbed hold of Alex’s arm to keep her from leaving the circle. Dewi looked over to the group he had sealed in ice. The ice was slowly melting, but was still holding strong. He looked back at Robert. The man still stood in the middle of the room, head slightly bowed, brows furrowed and a hardly noticeable frown on his face.15

Dewi turned around and started towards Alex and Nereza. “Alex, you didn’t kill Nereza yet, right?” he said and gave a dry laugh. “Very funny, master” Nereza snapped, crossing her arms across her chest. Alex turned back to Nereza to flash her a smile. But, then it came.16

The sound of metal.17

The sound of liquid as it spilt on the floor.18

Nereza gave a silent scream. Or, at least… it seemed as if she did. But then, the entire world had gone silent along with her.19

Alexandra looked back to Dewi. She wished she hadn’t.20

All those times, when you close your eyes when you see something you don’t want to or wish you hadn’t. When you think that closing your eyes would make whatever is happening disappear.21

The hand had been driven right through his chest, through his heart. Blood dripped off Robert’s fingers. The red liquid ran down Dewi’s green tan top and dripped on the floor below. Dewi looked down to his chest. Not a single expression crossed his face. Not one single glimpse of fear, or anger, or sadness, as he crossed his arms across his chest.22

Alex didn’t need to think to know what he was going to do now.23

She knew what he was about to do.24

“No!! Stop!” Nereza screamed as she ran out of the safety of the Demon circle towards her master. Dewi looked at Alex.25

She nodded.26

The fire that had resided in Dewi’s hand at the start, fired up around him. It encircled both him and Robert. It surged up into the sky and the flames spun around them in a vicious dance. “PLEASE! Master!! Don’t leave me!!” Nereza screamed in desperation.27

Alex stood silently in the circle, watching. She didn’t interfere.28

The force of the exiting blast sent both Nereza and Alex flying against the wall. Both ended up sprawled out on the floor.29

The heat of the blast left the room’s walls scorched and had shattered the tomb that Dewi had created. Alex walked towards the crater. A pool of black blood was left in the middle of the crater. Alexandra ran a hand over her face and took a deep breath in.30

Dewi is gone.31

Nereza was sobbing against the wall, her back towards Alex. The apprentice was slumped against the wall, rocking herself back and forth as she cried. Dewi had been the only family she had know. Or, at least, the closest thing she had to family.32

Alex walked over the group of Order members. “Are you all okay?” Alex asked as she helped up Gabriel. “We’ll live… Robert had threatened our families and said that if we didn’t-” he tried to explain, but he trailed off as he looked down. “It’s fine. You guys better get out of here” she said and pointed to the door. “I’m sorry about Dewi, Alexandra” Nicholas said as he bowed his head low before her. “It’s fine, Nicholas.” Alex assured with a faint smile. They all gave a short wave before making their way out of the doors and leaving the Order. This would be the last time they would leave through those doors.33

The young mage walked back to the crater and stared at the last spot where Dewi was. She still expected him to just regenerate and scare her like normally. As if he were just lurking behind every pillar, shadow or person, ready to scare her out of her skin. But it never happened. Not after Alex had coerced Nereza to stop crying long enough to leave the old Order building. He didn’t appear after they had said their goodbyes. He hadn’t showed up after she had transported herself to her house. She walked up the pathway to her front door. The sun had set and only their porch light spread its light unto the pathway. She knocked and knocked again. Even then she hoped he would pop his head through the door, grinning like usual. But nothing happened. Dewi didn’t come.34

A few minutes later Katie and her mother answered the door, “Alex! You’re late! It’s already ten ‘o clock!” her mother said worriedly. Alex looked down at her black dress and ran a finger down the purple piping, “Sorry… Dewi left” she said, not meeting either her sister or her mother’s eyes. Tash joined them at the front door, swinging Dewi’s cell in front of her, “Does he know that his Internet connection sucks on this phone? Oh! But after we got it running through the GPRS it worked out” she said happily. Alex took the phone from her sister, “Dewi’s gone, guys. He left.,” she repeated. “But… we still have his phone” Tash said incredulously. “-AND he didn’t even say goodbye” Katie added. “He said he won’t need his cell anymore… Uh, if you guys don’t mind, I’m really tired” Alex said and gave an awkward apologetic smile. “Goodnight” all three chimed softly. They weren’t sure if Alex was happy or not about this. But, then, they were never sure what exactly she felt about most things. Alex never showcased her emotions or opinions to others, but they had learnt that she is independent and solves her own problems.35

Alex walked to her room and closed the door behind her. She licked her lips and walked over to her bed. She bent down and grabbed her pillow, throwing Dewi’s phone on her bed. The young mage walked to her closet and closed the doors behind her. She sat down on the small clearing on her closet floor. She brought her knees up to her chest and laid her pillow on top of her knees. She buried her face into it.36

He’s gone.37

She coughed.38

He’s not coming back.39

A small hiccup left her lips, the sound muffled by the pillow. The pillow started to get warm and was started to become slightly soaked.